Victoria school district requires vaccinations of students

The Victoria school district has seen fewer parents expressing concerns over vaccinations since the study that linked vaccinations to autism was revealed as a fraud in January, said Diane Boyett, VISD's communications director.

This year, 23 students in pre-kindergarten through high school have vaccination exemptions, mostly due to religious reasons, Boyett said.

According to the Department of State Health Services, children can be exempt from maintaining up-to-date vaccinations by a doctor's letter stating medical concerns or if parents fill out a form expressing "reasons of conscience" for not wanting their children to be vaccinated.

Victoria school district offers a 30-day grace period to students who haven't received their immunizations by the beginning of the school year. Nurses send out several notices, Boyett said.

After that, students are told they cannot come to school until they receive their shots.

"Parents are given ample warning before that happens, so it's become less and less of an occurrence," Boyett said.

The vaccines required by the state call for tiered doses depending on the age of the child. Required vaccines are diptheria, tetanus and pertussis; polio; measles, mumps and rubella; hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella and menningococcal.

A list of the vaccines, doses required and an exemption form can be found on the Texas Department of State Health Services webpage at www.dshs.state.tx.us.